The Rest is History: HHS Love Stories

February 9, 2022

This content originally appeared in the Winter 2021/2022 issue of Purdue Alumnus magazine.

International Love Story

Jimmy Chiu (AAE’05, PhD AAE’13) and Marla Betsch (HHS’06, MS LA’08)

A mutual friend introduced us during a party at Jimmy’s fraternity, Theta Tau. On our first date, we went to the Purdue West Dairy Queen—what do you expect, he was working for the campus computer lab! Jimmy was an international student, which was so interesting to me since I grew up in Indiana. We both stayed at Purdue through grad school and eventually moved to California. Sixteen years later, we’re married with our first baby—and maybe future Boiler.

— Marla Betsch

The Right Chemistry

Mark Herter (MSE’03, MS MSE’05) and Sara (Smith) Herter (HHS’03)

We were introduced through mutual friends in the fall of 2001. I was in chemical engineering at the time, so at least in theory I was good at chemistry. Sara was taking organic chem for her major and was struggling. My roommate mentioned my chemistry prowess and suggested that Sara ask me to tutor her. She got a D in organic chemistry that semester.

— Mark Herter

Meet Me at the Pineapples

Aaron Goggan (HHS’11) and Jessie (Ogle) Goggan (HHS’12)

We used to “meet at the pineapples” in the Purdue Mall before class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. When Aaron graduated in 2011 and moved to Chicago, I missed him terribly and would text him, “Meet me at the pineapples.” Purdue helped us ease into the transition of being in a long-distance relationship. He would come to football games and sorority functions. I graduated in 2012 and moved back home to Indianapolis. We spent two more years apart. The day after Christmas in 2014, Aaron called me and asked if I wanted to drive up to Purdue and go to Harry’s for some fried banana peppers our all-time favorite campus bar food. While I was sitting and enjoying the banana peppers, Aaron took a call and walked outside. About 10 minutes later, he texted me, “Meet me at the pineapples.” I paid the tab and walked to our spot right in front of MSEE, where Aaron was waiting with a huge smile on his face. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Whenever we are apart or having a bad day, a simple “Meet me at the pineapples” text brings us right back to the most wonderful moments of our lives.

— Jessie Goggan

We Survived the Blizzard of ’78

Gregory Deeds (CE’78) and Vickie (Reuter) Deeds (NRS’79)

During the first few weeks of my freshman year at Purdue, a high school friend introduced me to a very cute sophomore she knew from 4-H who had attended another nearby high school. My friend gave me rides home on weekends. One weekend, she supposedly couldn’t give me a ride home, and she suggested I ask that very cute guy for a ride home. On the drive home, he asked me for a date for that weekend. We saw the movie Rooster Cogburn. We both survived the blizzard of ’78. I had gone to his apartment that evening, and we had no idea an epic snowfall was approaching. Needless to say, I was unable to get back to my dorm that night!

— Vickie Deeds

A Computer Set Us Up

Joseph Alford (ChE’66) and Marti (Boyd) Alford (HHS’68)

We met at a computer match dance held on November 15, 1964, in the Purdue Memorial Union. Due to its novelty—students filled out long questionnaires in advance, which were transferred to punch cards that were then sorted by the computer for compatibility—CBS covered the event. We are one of two couples who were matched that evening and ended up getting married.

— Joseph Alford

Sealed with a Bell Tower Kiss

Anthony Covarrubias (CE’14, MS CE’15) and Jonathan Delgado (HHS’15)

We met through mutual friends when I was a junior and Jonathan was a sophomore. Our first date was at Chipotle on Chauncey Hill. It was the best we could do as busy and cash-strapped college students. We fell fast and hard. We took the obligatory kiss-under-the-Bell-Tower picture, which, per campus lore, meant we were destined to marry. After moving across the country to San Francisco for our first post-college jobs, we married in April 2019 in a small ceremony in Sonoma, California, surrounded by family and close friends.

— Anthony Covarrubias

Blind Date Picnic

Clark Winrotte (EnE’79) and Janet (Smith) Winrotte (HHS’79, MS HHS’87)

Sunday, October 17, 1976—mutual friends arranged a blind date picnic after church in Hort Park. We were both involved in Purdue Christian Campus House, but we had never met. We began enjoying each other’s company from that day on. Clark knew if he wanted to see me, he would have to find me in the library; after studying, we would enjoy a walk on campus. He still jokes that he only made it through the engineering program because he had to comply with my study habits! My father was rather old-fashioned and said we couldn’t be married until I finished college. We graduated in the same ceremony on Sunday, May 13, 1979, and were married 13 days later.

— Janet Winrotte